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(No Model.) '2 Sheets-*Sheet 1.

A.P. GEORGE..

MAIL BAG.

No. 530,683. 'Patnted'Deo. 11 "1894.

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5 attenua- (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. P. GEORGE.

MAIL BAG.

No. 530,683. 4 Patented Dec. 11, 1894.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

ALB RT F. GEORGE, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF o JOSEPH H. FINK, OF SAME PLACE.

MAIL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,683, dated December 11, 1894.

Application filed March 24, 1 894- Sarlal No. 504,904. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. GEORGE,a citizen of the United States, residin'g'at' Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain ne'w'a'n'd'. use

-ful Improvements in Mail-Bags, of which-the -or bent after the bag is closed and locked. I

achieve this result by providing the upper-end of the bag with a series of guiding plates arranged horizontally across the t'o'p'of the bag. A series of clasps, each adapted to have a sliding engagement with the guiding plates, are

joined together by a hinged connectionso' as to form a bendable chain. In closi'n g the bag, the chain is drawn across the top of the bag, the clasps of the chain sliding on and-engaging with the guiding plates. Anyiordinar'y' locking device may be used to prevent the chain from being withdrawn. The clasps'are preferably equal in number to the guiding plates so that the joints of the chainco i'n'cide with the spaces between the guiding plates. Instead of making a single chain, it'maybe made in two parts which in closing the bag meet in the center of the bag, at which place the locking device is used.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrative of my invention, 1' have shown the chain as being made in two parts.

Similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts.

Figure I. represents, in elevation, a view of a mail bag provided with two chains, oneof which is'shown in the closed position and the otherin the open position. FiggII. represents in elevation, three guiding plates attaiihed' to the inside of a portion'of one'sideof the mail bag, the guiding plates being shown in this figure in rear elevation. Fig; III represents a top view of the staple clasp. Fig. IV'represents a top view of two'of' the olasps and the hinge connecting them. Fig, V represents a perspective view of one of the plates that is mounted upon the outside of the bag and towhich the opposite guiding plate is riveted. Fig. VI represents a bottom view of the staple clasp. Fig. VII re resentsa vertical sectional vie'wtakenon the dotted line a-b'of Fig. II. Fig. VIII represents, in side elevation, a view of my invention, the'pull out ring being removed. Fig. IX. represents a perspective viewof one of the sliding clasps. Fig. X represents, in perspective, a View of the guidin'g'yoke, 2. Fig. Xl'represents a erspective view of'the inner guide plates, 1 2 provided with the curved ends, 13.

Themail bag, 1, has secured to each upper corner a guiding yoke 2. This guiding yoke consists of a strip of metal or other suitable substance bent into the shape of an inverted U each leg'of which is provided on itsinner side with a vertically disposed right angled portion,a side of this right angled portion lyingparallel to and bein'gs irred' y riveting or other means to the side of the bag; The outer vertical sides of the yoke are bent so as to diverge, so as to form a guide forth'e chain of clasps when the chain is drawn inwa'rdly.

Distributed along'and secured to the'inner side of each side of the bag at the upper or open end is aseries of guiding plates, 3,-each of which is a duplicate of the others, so that a. description of'on'e' will answer for a description of the others. The guiding plate, 3, consists of a plate of metal vertically secured to the inner side of the bag nearthe top, a. portion of the plate extending above the top. At a point above'thetop of the bagthe plate is bent at right angles outward and then downward at 'a right angle. This rightangled portion forms the groove in which the clasps of the chain, later described, slide. Figs. II and VII best showthis portion of my invention. 7

The: chain that is used to close the'bag consists of aseries of c1'asps,*4, oneof which is illustrated best in Fig. IX. Contiguous ends of the olasps, 4, are connected by mea'ns of a hinge,'5, asshown in Fig. IV. The hinge 5, is an" ordinary hinge having one end lying flatwi'seon' and pivoted, by means of a pin, 6, so as to have a horizontal motion, to one end of a clasp,4',' the other end of the hinge being pivoted in a like manner to one end of another clasp. A projection, 7, on one side of the hinge where it joins the other side, is so located as to prevent the hinge from opening above a horizontal but does not prevent it from closing.

The clasps, 4, are made as follows:-A rectangular body having rounded ends is provided on each side with a flange extending at right angles downwardly, each of these flanges being provided on the lower side with a flange extending at right angles inwardly. Near each end of the clasp, 4, in the horizontal or body portion is a vertical opening through which the rivet extends to which the end of the hinge, 5, is pivoted.

The staple clasp, 8, islocated one on the inner end of each of the chains. Itis similar in construction to the clasps, 4, excepting that the inner end is diverging at the sides so as to more easily be guided onto the guiding plates, 3. The staple clasp, 8, has secured to the upper side of the widened portion near the front end a staple, 9, vertically disposed, through which the hasp of an ordinary padlock or other lock may be inserted as indi cated by, 10, in Fig. I. The clasp, 8, may be made in one piece or as shown in the drawings it may be made of two pieces, the flaring portion being made of a separate piece of metal, the rear portion of which is channel shaped the upper side being the closed side and secured in any convenient manner to the inner end of a clasp similar in shape to the clasp, 4.

The outer clasp on each chain is provided with a ring 11, which passes through a vertical opening in the top and outer end of the clasp. The two outer guiding plates, 12, on each end of the bag are riveted or otherwise secured together. These guiding plates are similar to the guiding plates, 3, with the exception that the outer end of each is provided with a semi circular projection, 13, which serves as a guide for the clasps, 4, when the chain is drawn inwardly. Upon the outside of the bag and located oppositely to the guiding plates 3, with the exception of the two central ones on one side of the bag are the rectangular plates, 14, each one of which is secured to the bag by means of the rivets that secure the guiding plate immediately opposite. In place of two central ones on one side of the bag, a single plate is substituted, as indicated by,15, which is riveted to the two central guiding plates onone side of the bag. The plate, 15, has its lower and side edges folded in order to provide a case for a card or label. The card or label is inserted at the top, the projecting edges of the clasps in the chains preventing it from becoming displaced after the bag is closed.

A handle, 16, of any suitable material, is secured to the lower end of the bag, and a handle, 17, is secured to the bag on either side near the top.

In operating the bag closing device, it is but necessary to grasp the two staples 9, and draw them toward the center, thus drawing the clasps over the flanges of the guiding plates, 3, and 12, the rings, 11, being of suflicient sizeas to prevent the chain being drawn past the center. The hasp of the lock, 10, is then inserted through the two staples, is closed and the lock is then looked. The clasps being pivoted to the hinges in the manner shown and described, and the joints being opposite to the spaces between the guiding plates, permits the bending of the bag in vertical folds. The hinges permit the chains to drop in a vertical position alongside the bag when the-bag is open and the chains withdrawn. In using a single chain, the chain is made long enough to reachacross the top of the bag, in which case but a single ring, 11, and staple, 9, would be used, the hasp of the lock 10, being passed through the staple and the loop, 2, at one end of the bag.

The shapes of the various parts may be varied to suit convenience, without departing from the spirit of my'invention. The general structure maybe also modified and yet remain within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a mail bag, the combination with guides secured to the open end of the bag, of a sliding clasp for engaging the said guides, and a yoke or guiding frame secured to the bag and through which the sliding clasp passes when engaging with the guides, substantially as described.

2. In a mail bag, the combination with guides secured to the open end of the bag, of a sliding clasp for engaging with the said guides, an outer guiding frame or yoke through which the sliding clasp passes, and an inner curved guide over which the sliding clasp passes when engaging with the guides, substantially as described.

3. In a mail bag, the combination with guides secured to the open end of the bag, of a flexible sliding clasp for engaging with the said guides, the said sliding clasp being flexible vertically and horizontally, and means for preventing the flexing of the sliding clasp above a horizontal position, substantially as described. t

4. In a mail bag, the combination with guides secured to the open end of the bag, of a sliding clasp for engaging with said guides, the sliding clasp consisting of a series of clamping plates hinged together so as to he movable in a vertical and horizontal plane with reference to contiguous plates, substantially as described.

5. In a mailbag, a sliding flexible clasp consisting in a series of clamping plates, a hinge connecting and pivoted to contiguous clamping plates, whereby the clasp may be flexed in a vertical and a horizontal plane, substantially as described.

6. In amailbag, asliding flexible clasp con- ICC sisting in a series of clamping plates, a hinge connecting and pivoted to contiguous plates, whereby the clasp may be flexed vertically and horizontally, and means for preventing the clasp being flexed vertically above a substantially horizontal position, substantially as described. 7

7. In a mail bag, the combination with a series of grooved guide plates secured to the open end of the bag, of a series of clamping plates for engaging with the grooved guide plates, a hinge connecting and pivoted to-contiguous clamping plates, the hinge being pro-' vided with a. stop for limiting the movement of the connected clamping plates, substantially as'described.

8. In a mail bag, the combination with a series of guiding plates secured to the open end of the bag, of a series of clamping plates adapted to engage with the guiding plates, a hinge connecting contiguous plates, a yoke the clamping plates onto the guides, substan- 35 tially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT F. GEORGE.

Witnesses:

WARREN D. HOUSE, WILLIAM W. FENNER. 

